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The death toll from devastating floods and landslides in Nepal’s Himalayan region near the Tibet border has risen to 538, according to the latest figures released by the country’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA).
At least 977 people remained missing or out of contact as of Friday afternoon, Nepalese media reported. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said more than 90,000 people have been affected by the disaster.
The disaster began Wednesday morning when sudden and powerful flooding hit the Bhotekoshi River in the Timure and Syafrubesi areas of Rasuwa district near the Nepal-China border. Massive amounts of mud, rocks and debris swept through riverside settlements, destroying roads, bridges, buildings and other infrastructure before the floodwaters flowed into the Trishuli River.
Bodies and human remains have since been recovered in several downstream districts, including Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha, Tanahun, Chitwan and Nawalparasi.
Chitwan has recorded the highest number of recovered bodies, with 221, followed by Nawalparasi East with 134, Gorkha 46, Nuwakot 37, Dhading 33, Tanahun 28, Nawalparasi West 27 and Rasuwa 12.
Among those rescued, 73 people are receiving treatment in hospitals—43 in Rasuwa, 27 in Nuwakot and three in Dhading.
Of the 977 people still missing, 517 are foreign nationals. The list also includes 127 non-resident Nepalis, 161 people recorded by the Rasuwa District Emergency Operations Centre, 66 from Makwanpur and one from Nuwakot.
Another 105 people serving in security and government agencies are missing, including 45 army personnel, 28 police officers, 15 customs officials, 13 members of the Armed Police Force and four immigration officials.
Authorities stressed that the missing persons list is not final and are checking whether some people have reached safety elsewhere.
The Nepal Tourism Board said 117 foreign tourists were rescued from flood-hit Rasuwa, including 85 Indians, 16 Chinese, nine South Koreans, two Americans and two Italians. The nationalities of three others had yet to be confirmed.
A total of 14,829 security personnel have been deployed for search and rescue operations. Helicopters operated by the army and private companies have evacuated 3,742 people through 78 flights.
Meanwhile, authorities are facing a growing challenge in storing and identifying recovered bodies. In Chitwan, where 186 bodies had been recovered by Friday afternoon, hospital morgues can accommodate only 30 to 50 bodies. An unused building in Bharatpur is being converted into a temporary morgue with capacity for around 250 bodies.
Similar problems have emerged in Nawalparasi East, with bodies being transported to Pokhara, Butwal, Bhairahawa and Palpa due to a lack of space. A community forest hall in Kawasoti is also being used as a temporary morgue.
Police are photographing bodies, collecting fingerprints, conducting autopsies and taking DNA samples where necessary. Samples are being sent to laboratories in Kathmandu for identification.
Authorities are also preparing for unidentified bodies to be buried at designated safe locations under established guidelines. Each body will be assigned a number and burial details recorded so that it can be traced later if identification becomes possible through DNA or other evidence.
Families of missing people have travelled to downstream districts, particularly Chitwan, searching for their relatives. Some have been waiting near temporary morgues carrying photographs of their loved ones.
Meanwhile, concerns over further flooding have emerged. A landslide has reportedly blocked a river channel in the Tibet region of China, creating a large lake near the confluence of the Chokchen Khola and Purpu Sangpo rivers. Rescue operations were temporarily suspended on Friday after reports that the lake had begun overflowing, and residents living near the river were evacuated.
The Nepalese government has provided 10 million Nepalese rupees each to Rasuwa and Nuwakot and 5 million rupees to Dhading in emergency assistance. Thirty trucks and four air cargo shipments carrying relief supplies have also been sent to affected areas.
The Cabinet has decided to donate one month’s salary and remuneration of the prime minister and all ministers to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund. It has also ordered the preparation of relief and rehabilitation packages for affected people and businesses.
India is sending additional humanitarian assistance, with a third military aircraft carrying 12 tonnes of relief supplies expected to arrive in Nepal. More than 47 tonnes of aid had already been delivered in two previous shipments.
The United States has also offered assistance, announcing $500,000 in aid and plans to send an adviser to support disaster response efforts.
With the full extent of the disaster still unclear, authorities are continuing the search for survivors and missing people while dealing with the mounting challenge of recovering, identifying and handing over bodies to families. Damaged roads and bridges are hampering rescue operations, while officials are closely monitoring water levels in the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river systems for any further rise.
